"Damn it, you idiot, why are you trying so hard? I've waited for fifty thousand years, and you've just rendered yourself useless. Forget about going back to the Immortal Realm, damn it!"

The little yellow dog kicked a stool away, grumbling as it walked out of the room.

Fang Xiaoyu sat on the bed, staring at Wan Lei in disbelief, like a fool.

"It's all my fault, all my fault… It's my fault for being too greedy, my fault for not returning in time. Wan Lei… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

An atmosphere of despair filled the entire room.

Wan Lei had already woken up. He had heard the little yellow dog's words, opened his eyes, and showed no reaction, his gaze listlessly fixed on the ceiling.

He was crippled, completely crippled.

His dantian was shattered. Perhaps in the outside world, with the help of a grandmaster of the Dao of Alchemy, there was still a glimmer of hope for recovery.

But this was the Thunder Star Sea, and they had nothing.

He couldn't return to the Moral Plane to take revenge on Loki.

In fact… he couldn't even leave the Thunder Star Sea.

He could only lie on the bed like this, a cripple, until…

Death.

Fang Xiaoyu stared blankly for a moment, then frantically emptied her storage bag, searching through its contents.

"Healing Pills… probably useless. Profound Spirit Pill… no, found it, Celestial Profound Life Returning Pill."

Fang Xiaoyu picked up the pill, crushed it gently, and placed it in Wan Lei's mouth.

She didn't know if it would help, but she had to do something. What if… what if there was a miracle?

The pill melted upon contact, flowing down her throat and into Wan Lei's body.

Fang Xiaoyu waited for a full half-day, but Wan Lei's body showed no reaction whatsoever.

She remained silent, picked up another pill, and was about to feed it to Wan Lei.

"Stop feeding him. How much medicinal power can his body withstand right now? Do you want to kill him directly?"

The little yellow dog's voice came from outside the window.

Fang Xiaoyu put down the pill, hugged her knees, her eyes vacant.

"Wife."

"Yes, get me a Thunder Stone."

"Okay."

Fang Xiaoyu nodded, took a Thunder Stone from her storage bag, and placed it in Wan Lei's hand.

Thunder Stones were not valuable; every cultivator had many of them.

Wan Lei tried to absorb the thunderous power from the Thunder Stone, but couldn't absorb even a trace.

"Let's try Spirit Stones."

A Spirit Stone was placed in Wan Lei's hand, and there was still no reaction.

Wan Lei's emotions gradually became agitated. He threw the Spirit Stone away.

He tried to circulate the Emperor of Thunder Art, but it was useless.

Without cultivation, his Thunder Body was ruined, and the Emperor of Thunder Art no longer recognized him.

"Hammer, come here."

The Thunder God's Hammer flew over, placing its handle into Wan Lei's hand.

Wan Lei tried to lift the Thunder God's Hammer. The hammer, which was as light as a feather in his hand before, now felt as heavy as a mountain.

Attempting to absorb the energy within the hammer was still useless.

He extended his divine sense, illuminating the first rune, no effect.

The second rune…

The third…

Until he illuminated the last trace of primordial thunder left by the little yellow dog, his body still showed no change.

How could a cripple without a dantian absorb any energy?

"Old friend… can you save me?"

The hammer showed no reaction.

"Get lost."

The hammer flew away on its own.

Wan Lei's emotions gradually spiraled out of control. Fang Xiaoyu quickly reached out, placed her hand on Wan Lei's lower abdomen, at the location of his dantian, and infused him with spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy entered his body, then flowed out from the cracks below him, having no effect.

For three days, they tried every possible method, but Wan Lei's condition showed no improvement.

Fang Xiaoyu stopped trying haphazardly.

She got up, fetched a basin of clean water, took out a towel, and wiped Wan Lei's body again and again.

"Will you leave me?"

Wan Lei's eyes were filled with despair. He knew he was crippled and his life was over. There was nothing left for Fang Xiaoyu to be attached to.

He was worthless.

"I will stay with you forever."

"Stay with me for what? What can I give you, a cripple?"

"Don't lose heart. I will cultivate diligently. Although I don't know formations, I know that once I become an immortal, I can break open the seal of this Thunder Star Sea.

When that time comes, I'll take you out and find someone to heal you. If you can't recover, I'll find another body for you to possess."

Fang Xiaoyu tried to comfort Wan Lei.

Wan Lei was unmoved. Who knew when Fang Xiaoyu would become an immortal?

A mortal's life was only a hundred years. He had no cultivation, no realm, and was a cripple, worse than a mortal.

How could he live until Fang Xiaoyu became an immortal?

"Pull yourself together. I like seeing you laugh carelessly, I like you being frivolous with me. I don't like you like this."

"Mmm."

No matter what Fang Xiaoyu said, Wan Lei's answer was always just this one word.

Despair.

"Don't be like this…"

"Scram!"

"Wh-what?"

Fang Xiaoyu was stunned, staring blankly at Wan Lei.

"I told you to scram, get lost far away! What use is it for you to stay by my side!"

Wan Lei roared.

"Husband, hate me. It's all my fault for being useless, my fault for being impulsive and getting you into this state."

"Yes, I hate you, so get lost. Don't let me see you again!"

"Wan Lei."

Fang Xiaoyu, with a choked sob, leaned onto Wan Lei.

"I know what you mean. You think you're crippled, that your life is over, and you don't want to drag me down, you want me to leave you.

But do you want me to live my entire life burdened with guilt? What will happen to you if I leave?"

She was so intelligent, much smarter than Wan Lei, and immediately guessed his thoughts.

"Don't be like this. No matter when, don't give up hope. Even if we really can't leave this place, I will stay with you forever, I promise I won't leave you.

Husband, it's hard for me too when you're like this.

Didn't Tian Suanzi calculate your fate? He said that no matter when, no matter what tribulation you face, you must not give up on yourself, you must not abandon the hope of living, you must grit your teeth and persevere.

Don't be discouraged, don't be lazy. Even if the sky falls, you have to bear it and move forward.

Why have you become like this?"

"Why bother? I'll only drag you down."

Wan Lei stopped roaring and murmured dejectedly.

"I know, I know. I will stay with you forever, protecting you with my life.

I won't change. Even if you lie here forever, you are still my husband.

I understand now. You… still don't believe me.

Alright, I'll prove it to you."

Fang Xiaoyu stood up.

One by one, she unbuttoned her clothes.

Wan Lei looked at her in surprise.

"I don't not believe you. You don't have to do this."

Fang Xiaoyu didn't speak, continuing to undress, until…

Only a wife who remains loyal and steadfast during one's lowest point of despair and hopelessness is true love for a lifetime.

"Xiaoyu."

"Hmm?"

"Why bother?"

"I'm willing. It's none of your business."

"I won't leave you either, ever."

"Sentimental.

You lie down.

I'll do the moving."

…

"Hiss…"

"What's wrong?"

"It hurts."